Snowplow



E. PITCHER July l2, 1932.

SNOWPLOW 8 Sheets-Shea?l 1 Filed March 27. 1929 E. PITCHER SNOWPLOW 8 Sheets-Sheet 2 Filed March 27, 1929 E. PITCHER July 12, 1932.

SNOWPLOW Filed March 27. 1929 8 Sheets-Sheet 3 E PITCHER July 12, 1932.

SNOWPLOW mm1 @MJ NAw/@NW MMM mv@ w, Ww.. h w

July 12, 1932. E PWCHER 1,866,861

SNOWPLOW Filed March 27, 1929 8 Sheets-Sheet 5 E. PITCHER July 12, 1932.

SNOWPLOW 8 Sheets-Sheet 6 Filed March 2.7, 1929 IUI/mf@ 7172611 E. PITCHER July `12, 1932.

SNOWPLOW Filed Marsh 27, 1929 8 Sheets-Sheet 7 .Ju1y12,1932. l l E PWCHER 6 1,866,861

sNowPLow F1166 March 27, 1926 6 sheets-sheet 6 Y MMM *fw/'M Y lll Patented July l2, 1932 UNITED STATES PATENT OFFICE 'mjnlmlrmcnnn, or ST. PAUL, MINNESOTA, .AsSIGNOn, BY MnsNn AssIGNIiInNTS, TO T. NAeLEfoFI'IsT. PAU-L, MINNESOTA, J. n. SOIIOFFMAN, OF ST. JAI/Ins, -mNNnoTa CHARLES n. :MrLLna Aor PORTLAND, J. L. Moena, or WIMBLRDON, NORTH DAKOTA, .ALBERT RUNNING, or ST. JAMES, MINNESOTA, AND MYLES IIENDENSON`,-or cRo'sBY,NORTH DAKOTA SNOWPLOW YVApplication filed March 27, 1929.

"My invention 'prmfides an improved snow plow AOEE Ithe Vpower-driven type and relates more particularly yto that "'ft'yp'eof @snow Lplow `whereinthe plow "mechanism is driven and pushed ali'eadbf 'aftrac'tor and wherein the lplo'w mechanism :involves a centritugallyacting rejedting 'rotor'.

Generally stated, the Ainvention consists of the novel devices, combinations of devices Yand "arrangement "of parts hereinafter described and defined in the claims.

The invention involves various novel fea- 1tiresbotli in the construction of the fniech'a- 'ni'sm and in theoper'ation thereof, vwhereby withaminimun'oexertive power, a ina-Xirnim 'amount of. `work"'1nay be performed. The 4Vplow is "designed 'for general vlpurposes but moreespecially for keeping the highways, roads and streets Vclcarofsnow and ffor cuttingv Ythrough fdeep i snow embankments and 'projecting' or' discharging the snow at one side oif vthe roadway.

By novel cof-operative-arrangeinent of an nclinedelevtor 'beit and an oblquely 'set centri'fugallyeacting ejecting rotor, `the snow is "''r'st elevated vand then discharged'with great "facility, rapidity and minimum exertivle power. Another feature provides an arrangement whereby with 4any ejecting rotor arranged to 'run in 2afcon'stant f direction, the -snow'm-ay'be discharged and projected fat 'will 'ateitlieriside of the roadway. The arrangement ofthe elevating means is such that a comparatively small amount of powerisrequired to advance thep'lo'w into a-snow bank and, in fact, the power lexerted in driving Vtheelevating means will have afforward pulling or driving -actio'n'tending4 to advance the "low,

p Another importantfeaturelisfound in the arrangement of the elevatorsnpporting iframe whereby it isf in part: Spring Vcounterpoised and 1may Vyield fin Epassingl over nhard obstructions fth'at i cannot fbe `picked l up and whereby breaking Of' parts is prevented.l The proximately on the line 11-11 of Fig. 3 some parts being removed; and

Serial No. 350,260.

invention also provides other novel features of importance but which7 as well as those already briefly outlined, will be more easily vunderstood and better appreciated after having first described the plow mechanism illus' trated in the accompanying drawings, and which drawings illustrate a commercial form of the plow mechanism.

Referring to the drawings:

Fig. l is a side elevation showing the improved snow plow coupled to and arranged to `and partly in vertical longitudinal section on the line 4 4 of Fig. 2;

Fig. 5 is a plan view showing portions of the plow, some parts being sectioned on the line'5-5 of Fig. 4;

Fig. 6 iS a-plan view showing chiefly the frame and immediately connected parts of the elevating belt or conveyor, all parts of the belt or conveyor proper being removed; Fig. 7 is a fragmentary enlarged section taken on the line 7 7 of Fig. 2;

Fig. 8 is a detail in Section on the line 8-8 of Fig. 7

Fig. 9 is a fragmentary side elevation showing a portion of the snow-receiving hopper and showing the manner in which one of its discharge openings may be closed by a detachable door Fig. 10 is a fragmentary section on the line 10-10 ofFig. 9;

Fig. 11 is a transverse section taken ap- Fig. 12l is a section taken on the linelQ-IQ of Fig.. 2.

As a means for propelling and operating the snow plow, tractors of various different types may be employed, but in the drawings the tractor employed is a type known to the trade as a McCormick-Deering tractor and with the use of which the front axle with its wheels are detached from the tractor proper, are brought forward and attached to an extension frame, the rear portion of which latter is anchored to the tractorl frame. Of the parts of the tractor, it is only desirable for the purposes of this case to particularly note the tractor frame proper 13 (which, in the tractor noted, is a cast structure including the rear axle casing), a rear axle 14, rear traction wheels 15, cab 16, and engine 17, the shaft of which latter is provided with a driving pulley 18 from which, as will hereinafter appear, power is transmitted to the running parts of the plow, as best shown in Figs. 1, 2 and 3.

In the application of the'plow to the tractor, the front. axle 19, see particularly Figs. 1, 3, 4 and 11, together with its steering knuckles 2O and front wheels 21, is detached from the original tractor and is moved forward and is pivotally connected at 22 to a bracket 23 on the front crossbeam 24 of the extension frame. This extension frame is made up chiefly of the crossbeam 24, laterally spaced longitudinally extended main beams 25, and crosstie beams 26 and 27. The main beams 25 are brought rearwardly and anchored to the rear axle structure by nutequipped U-bolts 28 or the like and the forward portion of the tractor frame 13 is rested on and secured to a saddle 29 that is crossconnected between the beams 25. The main beams 25 are further tied together at their front ends by a crossbeam 30 which, like the beam 26, projects beyond the beams 25 so as to widen out the front portion of the extension frame. The outer ends of the beam 26 are further tied to the main beams 25 by brace hars 31.

Side beams 32 are rigidly secured to the outer ends of the crossbeams 26 and 30.

Mounted in suitable bearings 33 on the front transverse beam 30 is a rock shaft 34 provided at its outer ends with heavy forwardly-projecting rigidly secured lifting arms 35. Forwardly projecting supplemental beams 36, at their rear ends, are pivotally mounted on the ends of the rock shaft 34. At their intermediate portions, these supplemental beams rest on the forwardly-projecting outwardly turned ends of the lifting arms 35. To the free front ends of the supplemental beams 36, upright laterally spaced shoe plates 37 are attached preferably by nutequipped bolts 38 that permit pivotal movements of said plates in vertical planes. Plates 37 are provided with ground or roadengaging shoes 39 that are adapted to slide quite freely over the ground or roadbed. A snow cutter, preferably in the form of an inclined sharp-edged flat cutter plate 40 that may be properly designated as a plow blade, is rigidly secured at its ends to the shoe plates 37 and will be held with its cutting edge slightly above the roadbed when the shoes 39 engage the roadbed.

For picking up, elevating and carrying rearward the snow loosened up or passed over the plow blade 40, there is provided an endless conveyor and a supporting frame therefor which, in a novel way, is mounted for yielding rearward movement when to relieve from severe strains and is in part counterpoised by powerful spring-acting or yielding devices. rrlhe frame forv this endless conveyor comprises a rectangular braced conveyor frame 42 with raised side boards 41.

For the yielding support of the upper rear portion of the inclined carrier frame 42, braced laterally spaced bearing pedestals 43 are rigidly secured to and rise from the outside extension frame beams 32, at their upper ends these pedestals 43 are formed with rearwardly elongated guide heads 44. The numeral 45 indicates a transverse shaft that is journaled in a plurality of bearings 46 on the upper end cross member of the carrier frame 42 and in the sleeve-like hubs 47 of hinged brackets 48, see particularly Figs. 6 and 11, that are rigidly secured to the upper end side members of said platform structure.

The sleeve-like hubs 47 are preferably roller-equipped and they rest and work in the slots of the elongated heads 44. By the means now described, theelevator platform and frame structure is supported for vertical adjustments and for rearward receding movement-s under conditions and manipulations presently to be more fully noted. Journaled in suitable bearings on the shoe plates 37 andin bearings 49 on the front bar of the platform structure 42, see particularly Fig. 6, is a driven .shaft 50. The shafts 45 and 50, respectively, are provided with sprockets 51 and 52 that are aligned so that they will drive sprocket chains 53 of the endless elevator. These sprockets and belts are preferably arranged to drive an endless conveyor that ismade in two laterally spaced sections or parts. The chains 53 are cross-connected 5.1;",

by conveyor slats 54. As best shown in Figs.

4 andv 12, these slat and chainconveyors are arranged to run upward over the carrier frame 42 and downward under the same.

The snow picked up and elevated by the conveyor described, `will deliver the same into a receiving hopperl 55 which is preferably funnel-like structure made' -of. sheet metal and rigidly secured, in respect tothe extension frame, to certain devices including metal straps 56 by which 4it is tied to the heads 44 of supporting pedestals 43. This hopper 55 is providedr with la rotativelyy adjustable bottom-forming portion 57 that vis provided withl a discharge spput58;v The disc-like portion of thishopper bottom member 57 is set at a forwardly inclined angle of about thirty-live or forty degrees to a horizontal and this is done for a very important purpose, which willy presently appear. The disc-like portion of this adjustable hopper bottom is provided with a heavy hub flange 59 by which it is pivotally mounted on the hub of a heavy gear housing 60 through which latter is extended a short but heaty rotor shaft 6l.

Hopper bottom 57 is arranged to be oseillated so as to permit it to discharge at will at either side of the plow. l/Vhen adjusted, as shown in Figs. l, 2 and 5, for the dscharge at the right-hand side of the plow, te spout 58 will be aligned under a large door-opening 62 formed in the right-hand side of the hopper 55; but when said hopper bottom is adjusted to discharge at the lefthand side of the plow, spout 58 will be aligned under a similar door-opening 63 formed in the left-hand side of the hopper. The door-opening 62 or 63 which is not in use, is arranged to be closed by a. suitable door 64, see particularly Figs. 9 and 1G, that is arranged to be held in place by suitable means such as a latch bar 65 pivoted to the door and engageable under brackets 66 on the hopper.

Working within the rotatively adjustable bottom portion of the hopper just described is an ejecting rotor, the hub of which is secured to the rotary shaft 60. This rotor is set to rotate in a forwardly inclined plane that is the same angle to a horizontal as the disc-like portion of the adjustable bottom 57 Said rotor comprises a disc-like bottom or snow-supporting plate 67 that constitutes a rotary false bottom of the hopper. Rigidly secured on the rotating disc-like portion 67of the rotor and projecting upward therefrom are radial propelling blades 68, the upper edges of which are 'forwardly bent or inclined at 69 sothat they assist in holding the snow against the blades under rotation ofthe rotor in a counter-clockwise direction in respect to Figs. 2 and 5, until the snow is released from the centrifugally-acting rotor and is projected outward through the discharge spout 58.

Preferably, the means for adjusting, that is, raising and lowering the receiving enc of the conveyor frame and pick-up and elevating conveyor includes a connection ef;- tended to the interior of the cab and, illustrated in this commercial plow, said connections. are as follows A heavy bifurcated arm 70 is rigidly secured to the rock shaft 3l. The front section of ajointed shaft 7l works with a threaded engagement through a. y 72 held in the bifurcated arms 70. his jointed shaft is mounted in suitable supports onthe extension frame and in the cab and at its rear end terminates in an operating wheel 7'3; The front section of the jointed'rod 7l cated, is to very considerable extent counterpoised or sustained by powerful springs 76. These springs 76, see particularly Figs. l and 3, are, at their front ends, pivotally connected to short upstanding arms 77 rigidly secured on the ends of the roel; shaft 34. The rear ends of the springs 76 are attached to anchoring rods 78 that are anchored to the extension frame. In the particular arrangement illus- 'trated the rods 78 are passed through eXtension plates 79 rigidly secured to the ends of a transverse beam 80, see Figs. l and 3, that is rigidly secured to the beams 25 of the eX- tension frame. Nuts 8l on the rear ends of the anchor rods 78 afford means for adjusting the tension and hence the load-counterpoising connect-ions of the springs 76. The adjustment of the springs 7 6 should be such that the weight on the supplemental beams 36 will be such as to tend to cause the shoes 39 to maintain engagement with the ground unless lifted from the ground by the roclr shaft arms 35. Obviously, these springs very greatly reduce the power required to raise the front end of the conveyor frame and elevating conveyor and to sustain the same in raised positions with the shoes out of contact with the ground.

rIhe usual means for oscillating the front wheels 2l to steer the plow and tractor may be employed and hence these connections are not herein shown to any considerable ext-ent except that the customary arms 82 on the front wheel knuckles 20 are connected by a tierod 83, as best shown in Fig. 3.

As best shown in Figs. 2 and 13, as already stated, the endless pick-up and elevating conveyor is made up of two slat and chain structures arranged side by side for action as a complete pick-up and elevating device. In plows that are made of wood, this divided structure is desirable and, moreover,it provides an arrangement permitting better bracing and tying together of the conveyor frame structure. rlhis is illustrated in Fig. l2 wherein it will be noted that longitudinal I-beam 8e is centrally secured to the bottom of the frame structure 42. This beam 84;V very greatly reinforces the frame 4t2 and its flanges aord guides for the returning slats 54-of the conveyor, the outer ends of which slats are on return movements guided by the angle bars 85 supported by metal straps 86 from the sides f the frame 42.

By reference particularly to Fig. 12 it will be noted that the conveyor frame 42 is provided with a deck made up of sections 42a that are rigidly secured on the top of the frame 42 and are spaced so that the conveyor chains 53 run between the sections 42a and run upon metallic bearing strips 42". The deck sections 42a are preferably made of wood for the important reason that it has been found that snow will not freeze on or adhere to wood surfaces nearly as quickly as it will to metallic surfaces.

The driving connections from the tractor engine to the centrifugally acting ejecting rotor and to the endless pick-up and elevating conveyor may take various forms, but, as illustrated, they are as follows: Directing attention first particularly to Figs. 1 and 3, it will be noted that the driving pulley 18 on the engine crank shaft is driven therefrom through a suitable clutch mechanism 87 which may be of any suitable construction, but may be assumed to be of the friction clutch type. Pulley 18 drives a main belt 88 that runs over the pulley 89 on the outer portion of a short transverse` countershaft 90 journaled in the gear housing 60 and at its inner end is provided with a bevel pinion 91, see particularly Figs. 4 and 5, which in turn is in mesh with a bevel gear 92 on the rotor shaft 61. This provides means for rotating the centrifugally-acting ejecting rotor in a counterclockwise direction already stated.

Countershaft 90 at its outer end is provided with a sprocket 93 best shown in Figs. 1, 4 and 5. A sprocket chain 94 runs over the sprocket 93 and over a sprocket 95 carried by a short countershaft 96 journaled in suitable bearings on the extension frame and provided at its outer end with a second sprocket 97. A sprocket chain 98 runs over the sprocket 97 and over a sprocket chain 99 on the right-hand end of conveyor drivingshaft 45. The connections now described transmit motion directly from the countershaft 90 and indirectly from the tractor engine to the endless pick-up and elevating conveyor. Here it may be noted that thev roller guiding opening in head 44 of pedestals 43 are extended on the arc of a circle struck from the axis of shaft 96 so that chain 98 will maintain its normal slack under forward and rearward rocking movements of the conveyor frame.

The manner in which the oscillatory bottom portion 57 of the snow-receiving hopper may be adjusted so as to position the discharge spout 58 in proper position. to discharge either at the one side or the other of the plow, has already been described. For securing said adjustable bottom and spout in either operative position in which it may be set any suitable device may be provided but, as best shown in Figs. 1 and 5, the extension frame is provided with latch hooks 100 and 101 that are in engagement with an eye 102, said hook 100 serving to secure the spout for discharge toward the right and the hook 101 to secure the spout for discharge toward the left.

Operation ln a general way the operation of the plow must l e evident from the description already made, but it is thought that various important features of the invention may be emphasized by the following further statements. The engine with its driving connections for the running parts of the plow above described as being located in the cab of the tractor is independent of the engine that propels the tractor and hence can be located at any suitable place on the plow mechanism. The plow will be propelled forward by its own engine and independently of the engine for driving the plow mechanism. Under advance movement of the tractor, the snow, even when very hard and approaching the form of icc, wi l be loosened and lifted by the plow blade and directed to the upwardly moving portion of the endless slat and chain conveyor. The plow will operate in very deep snow, to wit: through a snow bank that is as deep or even deeper than the altitude indicated by the line marked on Fig. 4, and, as already indicated, the upward driving and lifting action of the endless conveyor on the under surface of the up-lifted snow, instead of offering resistance to the forward movement of the plow will produce a sort of drawing action assisting in advancing the plow under the snow bank. f course, the snow discharged from the upper end of the endless pick-up and elevating conveyor will be delivered into the hopper and onto the rapidly revolving centrifugally-acting ejecting rotor and by the latter will be discharged though the spout 58 either to the right-hand or to the left-hand side of the plow according to whether the spout is set as shown by full lines or by dotted lines shown in Fig.

The oblique relation of the bottom of the hopper and of the ejecting rotor and its relation to the endless elevating conveyor is of the utmost importance. Before arriving at the arrangement herein disclosed and claimed, I found in practice that a rotating ejector set in asubstantially vertical plane while it was well adapted for the discharge of snow to very considerable distances at the side of the plow was not well adapted for the reception of snow. On the other hand, I found that an ejector rotor set to revolve at a substantially horizontal plane while well adapted to receive snow, was not well adapted to produce positive rotation of the snow with the bottom plate or disc of the rotor until the snow reaches the discharge spout where it will be discharged under high velocity under the action of centrifugal force. In this action,.as already indicated, the forwardly turned up edge portions 69 of the blades 68 assist in preventing the snow from rising on the rotor and slipping backward over the blades and hence accelerates the discharge of snow.

The pick-up and elevating mechanism being nearly counterpoised by the springs, will rise easily over irregularities in the road and obstructions other than the snow and hence the machine will not be subjected to severe strains due to irregularities in thc road. When the shoes running over an obstruction raise the front end of the pick-up and elevating mechanism, the roller-equipped shaft 45 simply moves backward in the segmental guide openings of the heads 44 and as soon as the obstruction is passed, the mechanism drops back to its normal position or as far as permitted by the adjustments of the arms of the rock shaft 34. From the foregoing statements, it will be understood that by adjustments imparted to the arms 35 through the jointed shaft 71, the receiving end of the pick-up and elevating mechanism can be raised to and set at any desired elevation within the limits permitted by the movements of the roller-equipped shaft 45 in the heads 44 of the pedestals 43.

It will be understood that the commercial form of the plow above described quite in detail is capable of many modifications as to details of construction and arrangement of parts all within the scope of the invention as herein disclosed and broadly claimed.

This application is filed as a continuation in part of my prior application, Serial No. 264,188, filed March 23, 1928, entitled Snow Plow.

What I claim is:

1. In a snow plow, a carrying truck, a hopper carried by said truck, a centrifugallyacting ejecting rotor located in said hopper for rotation on a forwardly inclined plane that is at a substantial angle both to hori- Zontal and to vertical, said rotor comprising a disc-like bottom plate and radial propelling blades, engine-driven means for rotating said rotor in a constant direction, a discharge spout for directing the discharge of snow from said rotor, said spout being rotatively adjustable for the discharge of snow from said rotor at either side of the plow, at will, and under constant direction of the rotation of said rotor, said hopper having discharge passages at opposite sides for cooperation with said discharge spout, and means for closing the discharge passage in said hopper away from which said spout is adjusted.

2. The combination with a tractor having a forwardly projected extension frame and front wheels mounted on the front portion of said extension frame ahead of the tractor proper, a snow-receiving hopper mounted on said extension frame rearward of said front wheels and ahead of the tractor proper, said hopper having a discharge spout adjustable for the delivery of snow at either side of the plow, at will, a centrifugally-acting ejecting rotor arranged in said hopper for rotation in a forwardly inclined plane, means for rotating said rotor in a constant direction, a conveyor support mounted on the front portion of said extension frame for upward and rearward yielding movements, an endless inclined conveyor mounted on said conveyor frame and arranged to pick-up snow and to deliver the same into said hopper and onto said rotor, and means for driving said conveyor.

3. The combination with a tractor having a forwardly projected extension frame and front wheels mounted on the front portion of said extension frame ahead of the tractor proper, a snow-receiving hopper mount-ed on said extension frame rearward of said front wheels and ahead of the tractor proper, said hopper having a discharge spout adjustable for the delivery of snow at either' side of the plow, at will, a centrifugally-acting ejecting rotor arranged in said hopper for rotation in a forwardly inclined plane, means for rotating said rotor in a constant direction, a conveyor support mounted on the front portion of said extension frame for upward and rearward yielding movements, an endless in clined conveyor mounted on said conveyor frame and arranged to pick-up snow and to deliver the same into said hopper and onto said rotor, means for driving said conveyor, and yielding counterpoising means in turn supporting the weight of sai d conveyor frame and conveyor.

4. The combination with a tractor having a forwardly projected extension frame and front wheels mounted on the front portion of said extension frame ahead of the tractor proper, a snow-receiving hopper mounted on said' extension frame rearward of said front wheels and ahead of the tractor proper, said hopper having a discharge spout adjustable for the delivery of snow at either side of the plow, at will, centrifugally-acting ejecting rotor arranged in said hopper for rotation in a forwardly inclined plane, means for rotating said rotor in a constant direction, a conveyor support mounted on the front portion of said extension frame for upward and rearward yielding movements, an endless inclined conveyor mounted on said conveyor frame and arranged to pick up snow and to deliver the same into said hopper and onto said rotor, means for driving said conveyor, and yielding' counterpoising means in turn sup porting the weight of said conveyor frame and conveyor, said conveyor frame at its front lower portion having a cutting blade arranged to work close to the roadhed and to direct the snow to said endless conveyor.

5. The combination with a tractor, having a forwardly extended extension frame with front wheels located far ahead of the tractor proper, a hopper mounted on said eX- tension frame just in front of the tractor proper, a centrifugally-acting ejecting rotor located in said hopper and arranged to rotate in a forwardly inclined plane, said hopper having a discharge spout rotatively adjustable for the discharge of snow at either side of the plow, at will, means for rotating said rotor in a constant direction, said hopper having a forwardly inclined bottom and said rotor comprising a disc-like bottom and radial propelling blades, a conveyor-supporting frame structure carried by the front portion of said extension frame and provided with a forwardly7 inclined deck, an endless conveyor arranged to run upward over and downward under said deck, and means for driving said endless conveyor to cause the same to pick up the snow, elevate the same and deliver the same to said rotor.

6. In a snow plow, a truck, a hopper mounted on said truck, a centrifugally-acting eject ing rotor mounted in said hopper, means for rotating said rotor, laterally spaced upright pedestals mounted on the front side portions of the truck frame, laterally spaced bars pivotally connected to and extending forward of the truck frame, a conveyor frame pivotally ,supported at its front end by the front ends of said laterally spaced pivoted bars and at its rear end supported for rearward yielding movements by upper guide-forming portions of said pedestals, a roel; shaft mounted on the front portion of the truck frame and provided with laterally spaced arms underlying said pivoted bars for raising and lowering the conveyor frame, and means for oscillating said rock shaft to raise and lower said pivoted bars and the forward portions of said conveyor frame and conveyor.

In testimony whereof I aflix my signature.

ELMER PITCHER. 

